Birthday Party Weekend - Part One

It was a busy weekend for the Burton Bunch.... a party at McDonald's for their friend Christopher on Saturday, followed by what we billed as their Messy Art Birthday Party on Sunday...since weekends are usually quiet here, this was what might be termed a Big Deal Weekend....

Of course, Big Deal Weekends take some getting ready for... plenty of rest, beforehand, and practicing the requisite joy...

Eventually, party time arrived... a good time for the kids to meet a couple of new friends as well as catching up with longtime playmates... I caught this great conversation between Jeremiah and first friend Elsie. I'm fascinated at how these two, who have played together since before either could walk, just pick up their friendship wherever they leave it, although they only see each other a few times a year.

Annalise practiced her drama skills with a pretend pout when I asked her to smile... normally, she's far more likely to scream than pout when she's angry, but she clearly has mastered the art of the sulk (at least, for performance's sake).

Jeremiah carried the camera out of the restaurant, and snapped these pictures of Annalise and I as we got into the car. He seems to be becoming a much more discriminating photographer than in his younger days. He also caught me in good moments, for which I am thankful!





When we arrived back home, Jeremiah was soon asleep, and Annalise entertained us both with the wooden slide she made for a wooden wheel...

I headed into the kitchen to make a mini monkey platter for Lise, and found that Margot the Manx is also now an unschooler...she was curled up on the kitchen island, a place I used to forbid her. She looked so sweet and comfortable, I had no desire at all to move her, but I did want to take her picture, and so here it is.

Lise, meanwhile, had decided to keep Corki the pit bull mix company - by riding him...I think she's hoping he'll turn into a pony some day if she just keeps on trying! Thankfully, Corki loves his girl, and is amazingly gentle and tolerant of her rich fantasy life.

Then there was a trip outside (see previous post), making "blackberry jelly", and a wooden car race...



Next time....

There really are party pictures, and insights on hosting a party to impress adults, or hosting a party intended to delight the children who are being honored...I've done both, now, and so have a perspective I didn't before...